A man in Bungoma was arrested by police officers on Monday, August 16 for allegedly refusing to enroll his teenage daughter to Form One.
Elphas Nyongesa Wekesa was fished out of his Tuti home in Kanduyi constituency after being tracked down by education officers enforcing the government's 100% transition directive.
The officers accused him of overstaying with the minor at home, thereby denying her the right to education. According to the officers, Wekesa intentionally failed to take his teenage daughter to school for form one admission.
His wife, Christine Nafula, claimed that he refused to pay fees for their daughter, disclosing that he went as far as hiding an admission letter from the school.
"I wanted her to join Namachanja School but he refused. He even hid the initial admission letter from the school," she stated.
Nafula revealed that she had to apply for the second letter, but an adamant Wekesa did not want their daughter to go to school.
Speaking to NTV, Kanduyi Assistant Commissioner Abdi Shakur revealed that a crackdown to get all students who were to join Form One but were at home is in effect.
Shakur warned that any parent who failed to take their child to school would be arrested and taken to court. He added that the crackdown was in line with the government's policy of ensuring 100% transition from primary to secondary school.
Quoting Article 53 of the constitution, Shakur noted that the government developed a policy framework to protect children's rights.
"Basic education is also a right, and it is compulsory. Anybody who will try to go against the policy, we will take him to court," he reiterated.
He added that children should be protected from harmful environments, like the one in which the minor lives, describing it as "not conducive".
